Guest Author - Beth Green

Iowa became the 29th state admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846.

The first capital of Iowa was Iowa City. In 1857, the capital was moved to Des Moines.

The state nickname is the Hawkeye State. It is called this in tribute to the American Indian Chief Black Hawk.

The state flag is three vertical stripes of blue, white and red. On the white stripe, an eagle is carrying blue streamers with the official motto “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain” written on the streamers. The flag was adopted in 1921.

The Wild Prairie Rose, a pink flower with yellow center, was designated as the official state flower in 1897. It is in bloom from June through late summer, and can be found throughout the state.

The Eastern Goldfinch, or wild canary became the state bird in 1933. The male has a black head and a bright yellow body, with black wings and tail. The female had a dull yellow body, with brown wings and tail.

Abundant throughout the state, the Oak was named the official state tree in 1961. The tree provides shelter and food for many birds and animals. The acorn, which is the nut of the Oak tree, provides a significant portion of the diet of many birds, including bluejays, nuthatches, grackles and woodpeckers. Squirrels, raccoons and chipmunks also rely on the acorn for food.

The geode was chosen as the state rock in order to promote tourism in Iowa. Geodes are usually round and about 4 inches in diameter. They have a hard outer shell and an inner lining of mineral crystals, generally quartz or calcite.

The Song of Iowa is the state song. The words were written by S. H. M. Byers and it is sung to the tune of "O Tannenbaum".

The 31st President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, was born in 1874 in West Branch Iowa.

Other famous Iowans include columnists Dear Abby and Ann Landers (Sioux City); Wild West scout Buffalo Bill Cody (Scott County); actresses Cloris Leachman & Harriet Nelson (Des Moines), and Donna Reed (Denison) ; bandleader Glenn Miller (Clarinda); television reporter Harry Reasoner (Dakota City); actors William Frawley (Burlington) and John Wayne (Winterset); entertainer Johnny Carson (Corning) and singer Andy Williams (Wall Lake).